Embouchures

The embouchure (ahm' ba sure) is the method of applying the lips
and tongue to the mouthpiece of a wind instrument, like the harmonica!
If
you are just learning to play I recommend you start with the Lip Block.

1) Lip Block - A variant
of the pucker (see below), it's also called lipping. Tilt
the harp up at the back about 30 to 45 degrees, and open your mouth
pretty wide, enough to cover about 3 holes, with your
upper lip about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way over the top cover. Let the
harp nestle into your lower lip. What happens is that quite naturally,
without really trying and without forcing it, the lower lip
blocks the 2 side holes and lets the center hole sound cleanly.
The open mouth position helps improve your resonance, which in turn helps
in getting bends correctly, and improves your overall tone. The harp needs
to be well in your mouth... Don't be shy! You can't just peck it with puckered
lips and make it work right. You should be relaxed, without tightening
your lips or pinching in your cheeks.

2) Pucker - The lips
are pursed and pushed out, and the harp is positioned deep back into the
mouth (but not are far back as for tongue blocking or U-blocking. See below).
The air stream is "directed through the pucker to one hole". (Note:
This is as described in many beginning harp books, ala John Gindick's.
In my opinion, the pucker does not direct the air stream through the hole
so much as the deep position of the harp in the mouth brings the lips into
contact with the side holes not to be played.)

Note: I believe that for experienced players the pucker and lip block
evolve so as to become nearly indistinguishable. In my opinion, it
is easier to reach this "pucker/block" embouchure starting with the lip
block than with the "pucker" mental image.

3) Tongue Block
- The mouth is opened to cover 3 or more holes, and the tongue
blocks the holes that are not intended to sound. The tongue
block pretty much must be used for octave and split interval play . Tongue
blocking also facilitates various harp playing techniques and effects,
such as "slaps" and "flutters". The tongue normally blocks the holes
on the left and leaves a single note on the right unblocked to sound, but
the tongue can also block holes on the right leaving a single note on the
left to play. It's best to learn to block and play on both
sides to facilitate quick jumps and easy access to holes on both ends of
the harp.

4) U-block - A variant
of the Tongue Block where the tongue is (normally) rolled into a "U" shape,
though the tightness of the curve varies a lot from player to player. The
tip of the tongue is placed just beneath the hole to be played or even
down onto the lower cover. The mouth is open to cover about 3 holes, and
the tongue curves up, or is pushed up to block the left and right holes.

All bends and overblows/draws are available using any
of these embouchures. There is no clear evidence of which
I am aware that any embouchure allows faster or cleaner play than any other.
The consensus best approach is to learn them all and
use the ones you like.

Note: The tongue block is the only embouchure that offers split intervals
and certain "slap" effects. (U-block techniques easily extend to
become essentially tongue block techniques for blocking multiple holes.)
In my opinion, for most people if only one embouchure were to be used,
the tongue block would offer the most versatility. However, as mentioned
above, there is no need to stick to only one embouchure,
and it's best to learn as many as possible.

Also note: It is possible to "pucker/block" out of either corner of
the mouth, and it is possible to lip block on either side of a single hole
to be played. These modifications to the "standard" embouchures can
add speed and accuracy since less harp/head movement is required to jump
to a non-contiguous note. For the pucker/block, the harp is "twisted" from
side to side to bring either corner of the mouth into play. For the
tongue block, the tongue is moved left or right to cover/expose the proper
notes. For U-blocking, the tongue can be moved from side to side
to select individual notes with little or no movement of the harp relative
to the mouth.